


The Drabble Club

by Sokorra



Series: The "Quote" Prompt Series [17]
Category: Criminal Minds, Downton Abbey, E.R., Friends (TV), Game of Thrones (TV), Life Unexpected, MASH (TV), Pretty Little Liars, Smallville, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Canon, beware of the occasional awkward drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-02-17 22:43:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 15,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2325839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sokorra/pseuds/Sokorra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a collection of drabbles made for the Qoute prompt series that do not have enough to generate their own collection (and partially because I'm tried of having to create a new story for each fandom)</p><p>Each drabble is between 100-500 words and is in response to a qoute prompt given in a writer group I belong to (plus a few prompts given to me on Tumblr).  They are notated by the date of the prompt, not the date of completion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Game of Thrones (Daenerys & Jaime, Jaime/Brienne)

**Author's Note:**

> Fandoms, characters, and pairings will be added as they are placed here. I will try to place mulitple drabbles in each chapter if I can (depending on how often I write that fandom.) Drabbles within a chapter will all belong to the same fandom.

Alright, I'm a baby GOT fan.  I've only been reading/watching for the last two months and most of my view of the characters is influenced by Fanfic and TUmblr commentary so far.  I've seen up to the end of season 3 of the TV show, and I'm about 600 pages into Clash of Kings.  My views on the characters may change as I read more, and rewatch episodes of the show. Some of what happens in teh drabbles is based on spoilers I've been told on Tumblr, so my accuracy might be off.

 

(1/7/14)

 _“You don’t know what it’s like to lose everything. I lost my friends, my family._   
_I lost the chance to get to know my own family!”_

_Macs ‘Pobol y Cwm’_

  


Daenerys Targaryen looked upon the man who killed her father. He was positioned in front of her, on his knees, hands chained behind his back.  He had been cleaned up for his presentation after several days of being left in the dungeons of the Keep.

This was the man who had stabbed her father in the back, who had ended his reign in this very room.  Who had sat in the chair while Ned Stark took the city.  She knew it wasn’t as simple as that, but it was an old wound, and the fatherless child still called out for vengeance.  The grown Queen knew better than to assume.

She had heard stories.  Taken in the tales of various men who had known her father, known his hands and his Usurper. Her father was not called Mad because a bad temper, but rather as his years drew on, he became cruel, violent and in the end Jaime Lannister might have done them all a favor.  It was hard to make a complete picture of him, with only other people’s points of view. Tyrion loved his brother and spoke highly of him despite whatever caused them to no longer speak. Brienne of Tarth had begged for his life, defended him and from most accounts she was a woman of great honor.

“Ser Jaime, you are ordered before this court to explain your actions,” she began, looking into the man’s green gaze.  He was expecting her to call for his death, not ask for explanations, she saw it in those eyes, even if his face showed nothing.  They moved quickly to the side, gazing at whom she knew without looking to be the woman he loved, the one who had convinced Daenerys to hear him out.  “Why did you take the life of your King?”

She would know the truth.

* * *

 

(1/28/14)

**"Bullshit. It's not kind - it's true."**

_Morning 'Episodes'_

 

His words kept repeating in her head as they settled down for the night.  I don’t blame him, and I don’t blame you.  You can’t choose who you love.  He had been teasing her relentlessly about Renly, having figured out her love for the late King.  But his words had a tone to it that he understood what it was to love someone the world said you couldn’t have.

She had loved Renly.  Loved his smile, his generosity, his compassion. She wasn’t unaware of his flaws, but as time passed she had realised that perhaps she tried to excuse them more than what was probably a good idea.  He hadn’t loved her back, but she hadn’t minded.  She figured she was too ugly to love unless it was a father’s love.

She knew Lannister wasn’t lying about Ser Loras. She had known the two men were close.  She hadn’t liked to dwell on it, tried to skirt around the issue in her mind because she loved him and wanted him to look at her back.

She didn’t quite understand it, why she had felt it was okay if he didn’t love her because she was ugly, and it wasn’t if he didn’t love her because he was in love with another man. She didn’t so much care if men took other men as partners, the same with women.  She didn’t quite understand the lore of one’s own gender, but she figured given her own interests she probably had no basis to understand.

However much had adjusted to the idea that Loras had loved Renly more than she had, and had been loved in return, it still hurt that Jaime Lannister had called it so quickly and without her really saying anything to point him in that direction. I don’t blame you.

She knew that the rumors were true, he had admitted it to Lady Catelyn.  He was in love with his sister. He knew what it was like to love someone society would claim as wrong.  Society didn’t believe men should love other men, or ugly women be loved by lovely princes.  It really didn’t approve of incestrious affairs.  

She wondered for a second if people could choose, who the Kingslayer would have chosen.  His sister again?  What would she have chosen?  Maybe she would have choosen one of those who actually sought her hand. That way she would have made her father happy, and she wouldn’t be dealing with the heartbreak of her love dying in her arms, or having to drag the Kingslayer across Kingdom come.

But, she supposed as she drifted off to sleep, there are more then one way to have heartbreak.  


	2. Veronica Mars (Dick; Dick/Mac)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Some language unsuitable for minors or those of a more conservative mindset then Dick Casablancas is used. Also references to sexual activity.

(1/16/14)

 

**“He looks like the type that if you told him to go fuck himself he’d give it a try!”**

Frankie Boyle ‘Mock The Week’

 

“I don’t understand how “go Fuck yourself” became an insult.”  Mac didn’t bother to look up from her laptop at Dick’s statement.  She was helping Veronica with a case, and Dick had a tendency to go on rambles about various things when he was blocked on writing or had gone into Wiki thrall while researching for a book.. She kept half an ear to her boyfriend while most of her concentration was on hacking into Mrs. McLively’s email account.

Who could possibly be so interested in Poodle outfits?

“I mean, its not like masturbation is a unfun activity.”

“I think the implication is that you have no better alternative.  It is also not an invitation to actually fuck yourself in public, you know.”  She raised her eyes to look at him, her tone teasing.

“Ah, so that’s why I got so many odd looks” Dick joked back.  “And here I thought it was jealousy.”

 

* * *

(1/17/14)

**"And even though it felt warm and safe, I knew it had to end."**

_JD 'Scrubs'_

__  
  


It had taken Mac a few weeks to come to this conclusion.  It hadn’t been easy, but she knew in the end it was the right decision to make.  Her relationship with Dick was..safe...in a way.  She had known he hadn’t expected any so-called strings, no continuation of their night time activities into social activities.  But somehow they had happened anyway, and she knew she had to end it now before they got too tangled up in each other’s strings to get out.

Because that would be bad.  Worse than the string analogy she just made.  FOr one thing, he was the older brother of the guy she had lost her virginity to which was all kinds of awkward.  She had loved Cassidy, and it seemed weird to have similar feelings for Dick, even though he was totally different.  Maybe especially because he was so totally different.

Also she wasn’t ready for a long term relationship. It just didn’t seem to suit her well.  Not that all of her relationships in the past few years had ended as spectacularly as hers with Cassidy had, but they hadn’t ended for the most part amicably.

And she wanted to end this amicably, because despite their awkward, and hard to rationalize beginnings, Dick was her friend.  She wanted to be able to be in the room with him afterwards and not feel an awkward silence.

It shouldn’t have been this hard to break things off, but it felt safe, and it felt comfortable, like a broken in hoodie on a cool morning.

She really needed to stop with the analogies.

So she took a deep breath and knocked on the door, ignoring the part of her that hoped he wouldn’t be home so she could put it off for another day.

* * *

 

(1/18/14)

**"You can look it up in the big book of tits."**

_Beverly 'Episodes'_

“This seriously exists?”  Mac raised an eyebrow at the book that Dick had handed her, calling it competition research for the website that Logan and she were developing.  

“Yep.”

“And you got it for the purposes of helping Logan and I out?”

“Primarily.  I will admit, not being in Ronnie’s range of harm, I might have had an ulterior motive.”

“Gee, Dick, I can’t imagine what ulterior motive you might have to buy a book called “Big Book of Tits?”  She opened the book.  At least it was artistically photographed and not some half-assed porno pictures.  “Find any familiar ones.”

“Now that you mention it..”

“I probably should have never said those words.”

* * *

 

 

(1/20/14) (Harry Verse)

 **“Yeah I never did quite meet anyone like her.”**   
_Wash ‘Firefly’_

 

In the ten years from high school Dick had come to many revelations.  That he was an alcoholic at only 28 was just one of them.  That he was in love with his brother’s girlfriend was probably the other big one.

He and Mac had circled around each other for years before getting drunk one May night...well, not any May night that May night.  The point was he was drunk, and she was downright tipsy if not drunk herself and they had decided why not.  He had woken up the next morning barely remembering anything, and feeling guilty that he had slept with the woman his brother had been in love with.

It didn’t matter that at some point he had fallen in love with her too. She was forever Cassidy’s and out of his reach.  But for some reason she didn’t feel that way and started to pursue a friends with benefits relationship if nothing more with him after that.  He had been happy to get what he could get.

Except here he was, 28 years old, in love with his brother’s girlfriend and feeling he really needed a drink.  Which was what made him realise he was probably an alcoholic because it was 11:30 in the morning and she had just told him she was pregnant.

A glass of water was shoved in his hands.  It wasn’t vodka but it would do for the moment so he could get his mouth working again. It wasn’t that he hated the idea of being a father, actually always wanted kids, but this was Mac and she deserved so much more than to be shackled down to him because they skipped a step one day along the line.

He realised that before this kid was born he had to get ahold of himself.  He had to fix himself, well as much as he could be fixed, so he didn’t end up just like his father. So he could work his way up to deserving a family with Mac.

That maybe one day he could actually tell her all of this instead of hiding it away not to mess things up.

 


	3. M*A*S*H (Margaret/Hawkeye)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its a reunion of Margaret and Hawkeye.

(1/19/14)

**“I know we said we wouldn’t tell anyone. I know we said that we’d pretend it never happened. But I couldn’t really.”**

_Frances ‘The Deep’_

 

Hawkeye wasn’t sure why he decided to go to the reunion. There was a strong part of him that wanted to ignore that he was ever in Korea.  However these were his friends. Strong friendships that changed him and were ones he wouldn’t forget.

So when Walter O'Reilly decided to invite everyone to his Christmas  wedding in Missouri, He checked yes on the RVSP.  Calls with BJ and Trapper told him that they’d both be there with their wives and families.  BJ had heard from Charles who was coming, as was the Colonel who lived nearby.

The one person he was actually worried about he was afraid to ask.  BJ however seemed to know anyway, and casually mentioned he had run into Margaret Houlihan the other day and she was coming as well.

So here he was, walking through the reception hall, greeting his friends as he went, searching for her but not finding her.  He knew he shouldn’t be looking for her the way he was.  They had decided things were over long before they ever left Korea, but he had a soft spot for Margaret that hadn’t gone away.

“Captain.”  He paused at the sound of her voice and turned around to spot her standing a few feet around her, a big smile on her face.  

“Major.” He wore a matching grin. There was a brief pause as they took each other in before he moved forward to give her a hug.

The hug was a little tighter than they needed, on both sides. He was surprised at how much he missed her.  He let her go, and saw a matching expression on her face.  

Some things weren’t easily forgotten.

He heard Trapper’s laugh and turned to see his friend pointing above him.  The pair looked up to see mistletoe hanging over their heads.

“Well, My dear?”

“Might as well give them what they want,” she responded, laughing.  He leaned down and brought her into a kiss.  Not quite the goodbye kiss of a few years ago.

Clearly neither of them had forgotten.


	4. Veronica Mars (Dick/Mac ; Ensembl)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick ends up with stiches, and he and Mac argue about grandparents.

(2/8/14)

**“So a latte lead to your skull fracture?”**

_Abby ‘ER’’_

 

“So you expect me to believe,” Veronica said, one eyebrow lifted in disbelief, “that you are getting stitches because of a Latte?”

“What can I say,”  Logan said from his position on the opposite side of the room.  “Dick’s got talent.”

“Don’t tell Mac.”

“I don’t think I’ll have to tell Mac anything,” Veronica responded with a shake of her head. “I’m pretty sure she’ll notice the stitches, especially with that new hair cut you are sporting.”

“She’s never going to leave me alone with the kid now.”  Dick groaned, wincing a little as the nurse finished his stitches.

“I’m sure it won’t be that bad,” Logan said “Your abuse of your own body is not the same as childcare.  Besides,” he said pointing towards the three month old who was quite fascinated with a set of play keys Veronica had brought. “He’s not worse for wear.  

“C’mon, lets get you discharged and medicated so I can pick up Mac at the airport and she can fuss over you like I know she will.”  Veronica picked up the carrier and walked to the nurses station where she picked up the pain killers for her “brother.”  Though how they figured Dick looked enough like her to be her brother mystified her.  
  


* * *

(3/01/14)

**“I’d better leave before I’m sorry too.”**

_Garry ‘Pobol y Cwm’_

 

“Where are you going,”  Mac asked, seeing Dick walk away from her.  He paused in the doorway, tapping the arch with the side of his fist before turning around to face her.

“I hate fighting with you, and I know if I stay much longer I’ll end up saying something I don’t mean or just mean in general and I don’t want to make things worse than they already are.”

“So you aren’t going to talk about it?”

“What’s there to say, Cindy?”  He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway.  “This discussion is never going to end well.  I don’t want my parents involved in our child’s life, you think its important that all the grandparents be involved. I don’t think we will ever agree on this.”

“I just don’t want you to regret this later on.”

“I won’t.  Bettina probably doesn’t care...she’s too concerned with her kids with Paul.”

“Are you even going to tell them?

“I’ll probably do that.  Just because it will save us problems later on.”  He turned and left the room, deciding it was time to go concentrate on his writing and forget this ongoing argument. He knew that she had a point, that he should at least let his parents see their son every once and awhile but he just...didn’t want to involve himself with them again.  After all they did the summer after Cassidy’s death, he didn’t want to deal with them.

But that wasn’t Mac’s fault.  

 

 


	5. Game of Thrones (March Prompts)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa is introspective and Cersei makes a decision

(3/8)

**“She’d be so proud of all of you now. For picking up her torch, and following where she showed the way.”**

_Samson ‘The Deep’_

 

Sansa wondered for a moment what her mother would have thought.  Would Catelyn Tully-Stark be proud of her eldest daughter and how she was running things?  Would Ned?  But mostly it was her mother’s opinion she missed.  She had always been more her mother’s child, while Arya was their father’s.

She knew Arya was no doubt wondering what Ned would think of her.  Arya had held to her thoughts.  She didn’t act like a lady, but like a Bravvosi warrior.  She was married to a Lord though.  Sansa suspected Gendry thought himself less a lord then Arya thought herself a Lady but they were handling their duties quite well, in her opinion.  She doubted however their parents would have expected Arya to start a elite force of women warriors.

She herself had Winterfell.  Her brothers were all dead besides Rickon who would rather run with the wildlings and be a ambassador then be Lord of the Castle.  So it fell to her to repair the ruins that had once been her home.  To start anew like the Kings of the North had done before.

She missed all of her family, even Arya who was far away in Storm’s End.  But it was her mother’s counsel she missed the most.

Would you have been proud of me, mother?

* * *

(3/28)

**“So, here’s the thing. I changed my mind and I was wondering if you could ask me again. Ask me again. Ask me to marry you.”**

_Abby ‘ER’_

 

Cersei rushed towards the white tower, a single purpose in mind.  Somehow it had become clear to her that all the power in the world wasn’t worth holding onto if she was by herself, without her other half. Jaime didn’t want it, didn’t seem to need it like she did, but she couldn’t imagine herself without him.

She had changed her mind.  She was the Queen Regent.  She could marry the man she loved if she wanted to. Her father was wrong. For once she was going to go against his wishes.  Because she wanted it all, happiness and power.  And that included marrying her brother.

She slowed as she reached his door, catching her breath, though the excitement she felt didn’t go away.  She was going to have what she wanted.  

She walked through the door and found him looking over his book, looking up at the noise the door made.

“Ask me again,” was all she needed to say.


	6. Pick a Fandom/Multi-fandom (March Prompts)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter of prompts where mulitple fandoms would work for what I had written. So read as you will.

(3/27) (This leans towards MCU (Bucky or Steve, whichever) but I'm still throwing it in the pick-a-fandom group)

**“You, my fine furry friends, are welcome.”**

_Garcia ‘Criminal Minds’_

“That is an...abnormal amount of cats.”

“How can that many cats fit into a house?”

“Is that even healthy?”

“No, that’s the whole point of the show.  Anyone who has that many animals clearly has lost their senses.”

“This show is somewhat terrifying.”

“Really? I actually find it relaxing.”

“Relaxing?”  He looked at her with an eyebrow raised.  “How?”

“Well, it certainly makes me feel better about the way my apartment looks.  It might be a mess, but at least I am certain that Bjorn won’t be found underneath a pile of newspapers or a pile of clothes.”

“Bjorn?”

“My cat.”

“I didn’t know you had a cat.  I used to be allergic to cats.”

“I’ve read your file.  I’m pretty sure you were one step away from being allergic to life in general.”

“True.  There are some advantages to being a science experiment.”

“Bet your tissue budget isn’t quite so tight anymore.”

“Actually, never really got tissues.  Used a handkerchief.  Cheaper.”

“That’s...interesting.”

 

* * *

 

(3/25)

_“And I realised, instead of being so focused on where I want to be, I should be ready when I got there.”_

_Cate Cassidy ‘Life UneXpected’_

 

She feels confused, which makes her angry.  She never liked not being in control, not knowing the facts.  But ever since she realized that she had been lied to, she's felt like she's been in a tailspin.

Of course there is her husband, waiting patiently for her return, no matter how many times she turns her back and leaves.  She wonders sometimes what about her makes him so loyal, so patient when most people would get fed up and just go away.  She knows this wasn't the first time she ran because she was scared.  Because she was angry about not being in control.

And each time he would still be there, with that look in his eye like he was hopping this time she'd stick around.  That this time she'd allow him to help her through the confusion, the anger and the fear.

That she'd trust him.

Somewhere, deep inside, she does.  She trusts him more then anyone else she knows.  But she looks around her and notices nothing has gone the way she planned, nothing is what she was prepared for and she just doesn't know how to ask for his help in figuring things out.  She half wonders if that will ever change or if she'd finally be able to express her trust in him in words and ask him.

Until then she just sits beside him, staring at the waves, and hopes things will start making sense again.

 


	7. Veronica Mars (March Prompt)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica feels safe (Movie spoilers)

(3/30)

**“ Everything’s OK, we will never leave you, right here we will stay.”**

_All ‘Scrubs’_

 

Later, when their breath had regulated, and their bodies cooled, and they started to fall asleep, she smiled. It wasn’t a truly happy smile, too much had happened that day, and there were too many memories tied up to similar events for her to be completely happy.  Part of her was though.

Logan didn’t let go of her, as if she would fly away if he did.  SHe didn’t blame him.  16 years they had known each other and when things got difficult she would run and he’d hide behind sarcasm and bad behavior.  It was their MO.  But she was determined that it wouldn’t happen this time.

She closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him.  For a second she thought of Piz.  She didn’t feel guilty, not really.  They had broken up, though she was sad it had gone the way it did.  Perhaps that had been the bigger trigger.  If she couldn’t bring up enough sadness to feel sad about the relationship, why had she been in it. Had she stayed to avoid the permanency that Piz wanted?

She blames Law School for that.  She recalled that conversation, held right before she found out Carrie had died, when she had been introduced to her boyfriend’s co-worker. A whole year and she hadn’t met his parents, hadn’t met his co-workers.  Barely met his friends.  They had lived separate lives almost.  How did she not realize that.  

She opened her eyes and looked over at Logan, who seemed so comfortable beside her, already fast asleep.  What was that saying on that tv show she had accidently watched one weekend she had the flu?  Safe Place to land.  Despite the turmoil, Logan had been that.  Just like they had been for each other the night Keith had been burned saving her life and he had been beaten up on the bridge.  Or the night Beaver - and she still couldn’t call him Cassidy - died and she thought Keith had died.

Or the night she had almost been raped in a college parking lot.

Logan had always been there.  Even after a 9 year distance he still knew her more then Piz was ever given the chance to know.

He made her feel safe, and she never allowed Piz to even try.


	8. LUX (April 14)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life Unexpected Drabbles from prompts given April '14

**"I'm confused, wait maybe you're confused. "**

_Simon 'Firefly'_

“So wait, he cheated yet he’s the one filing for divorce?” Cate nodded, holding tightly to her coffee mug that had some concoction that Baze was testing out. “How does that work. I mean, what reason does he have? He has a gorgeous, intelligent wife who adored him.”

“I can’t exactly point fingers, Baze,” Cate replied, looking up to meet his eyes. “I can’t say I was completely faithful to my marriage either. And I’d rather not be in a marriage done out of obligation.”

“I..didn’t mean that,” Baze said softly, putting the kitchen towel he had slung over his shoulder on the counter. “It just seems out of the blue that he suddenly doesn’t want to try anymore.”

“Not so out of the blue...We’ve been seperated for a few months now.”

“ANd neither of you told me?”

“I was embarrassed, okay?” She said standing up and moving away, wrapping her arms around her body. “I didn’t want you, or more importantly Lux, to know how much of a screw up I am.”

“First of all, you are not a screw up. You screwed up, yes, but you are not a screw up. Trust me, I’ve lived the life of a screw up. Secondly, we are your family, Cate. We should be able to be there for you when you need us." She turned, surprised to see he had come up behind her while she was turned away, but she didn’t stop him from bringing her closer for a hug.

“And what about Ryan?”

“He’s....almost family. You first.” Cate nodded, knowing that was as close as Baze would get to admitting that Ryan and he got along now. Although if Baze knew the reasons Ryan had asked for the divorce were not only because of his relationship with Julie, but also because he truly believed that Cate wouldn’t be over Baze enough for them to work it out, he might not be so willing to comfort Ryan later.

And she didn’t want to deny Ryan his friend and Lux. Ryan and she might not have worked out, but for awhlie Lux had been his stepdaughter and had loved her and that wasn’t going to change.

She just wished everything else had stayed the same too.

* * *

 

**“I love everything about her, and I’m not a guy who says that lightly. I’m a guy who has faked love his entire life. I’m a guy who thought love was just something idiots felt,**

**but this woman has a hold on my** **heart that I could not break if I wanted to. And there have been times when I wanted to.”**

_Barney Stinson ‘How I Met Your Mother’_

 

Baze had never really forgotten Cate.  He liked to think he had, but in the back of his mind he still wondered what happened to her up until the moment she stepped back into his life.

It was remarkably easy to fall in love with her this time around.  ANd it made him realise that perhaps that time in high school wasn’t a drunken fluke.  That maybe he had met the woman of his dreams in a cheesy van outside the school.  Except he had no chance with her.

He tried to fall for other people, almost succeeded a time or two.  In the end it wasn’t true, felt more fake than anything else. He just ended up back upstairs at his bar, trying to make the most of where his life had led him.

Even though it hurt more this time around.  It hurt because he found a woman he thought he could love almost as much as he did Cate, a women he could one day have a future with and then found out that she had once been his father’s mistress.

He didn’t know what to think about that, really, other then he couldn’t deal with it enough to go on with the relationship.  He couldn’t look at her and not see his father, and he couldn’t tell himself he’d be okay with it in the end.

What made things even worse was seeing Cate struggle with her own happy ending.  Ryan was supposed to be her Knight in shining armor, but the armor was starting to rust under the strain of the fact he had a kid with someone else.  And he wish eh could turn off the part of him that hoped that this could be another chance for him.

Because he knew it wasn’t.  He knew it wasn’t right to even consider it, and frankly if he did he deserved her even less than Ryan did (as if he hadn’t already determined that.

There really were days he wished he could switch it off.

 

* * *

 

**“You clearly don’t want to be here, I think you should leave.”**

_Fiona ‘About A Boy’_

 

The two of them sat on the couch, silently staring at the wall. Cate’s revelation about Julia had left Ryan confused and not sure what to say.  He was going to have a child.  It was something he had wanted, and the past week had him going from being overjoyed, to mourning the child he and Cate had lost.

And now it appeared he was going to be a father - a biological one, as he could honestly count being a stepfather he thought - anyway.

Part of him wanted to rush out and confront Julia but Cate had wisely told him it was probably not best to do it right away.

“I think it might be best if we took some time,” Cate finally stated, her voice sad.  He could feel his heart break, but at the same time there was an element of relief.  He loved Cate, but the last year had taught him that love wasn’t all you needed, no matter what the Beatles said.  And he loved Julie, though he wasn’t sure there was anything there either.

He was torn between wanting to give his marriage a fighting chance and wanting to just let it crumble and see where the pieces lay.  He knew where Cate would go.  He knew her heart was as divided as his, but she hadn’t hidden that quite as effectively.

If their marriage did crumble, he knew Baze would be there for Cate, and after the last year probably for him as well.  But Cate would always be his first priority.  And maybe that was the way it should be.  Cate had admitted she had married him because he was this perfect person she imagined could weld all the broken pieces.  She hadn’t expected there to be cracks in him as well.  And he had to admit he had bought into the white knight element of their relationship as well.

Maybe they needed someone who's broken pieces were a bit more similar than theirs turned out to be.

 

 

 


	9. Pick a Fandom (April 2014)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of drabbles that fit more then one fandom.

**“My problem is it’s 2am. My problem is I’m asleep.”**

_June Carter ‘Walk The Line’ (4/06)_

He woke to the sound of his daughter crying, looking over to see his wife sleeping, dead to the world.  He didn’t blame her.  She had just been on a mission and hadn’t gotten back till the late hours of the night.  He got out of bed, careful not to wake her and walked to the doorway of his daughter’s room.

“Hey, sweetpea, why don’t you try to calm down a little, mommy’s asleep and we should keep her that way,” he said as he reached her crib where the eight month old was standing holding the bars to support her weight.  He picked her up, rubbing her back as he walked around the room, knowing the motion would soothe her.  She hadn’t been sleeping well lately, a regression back to the days after she had come home.  She had a regular feeding schedule, so he knew she wasn’t hungry, and a quick check told him it wasn’t a diaper issue.

Her cries subsided slightly as she felt her father’s heartbeat and the motions created by the pacing, but it seemed it was not her father she really wanted.  He had thought he had finally gotten her calmed down when she stopped crying, only to turn and notice his wife standing in the doorway smiling.

“Sorry, did we wake you?”

“Not at first, but don’t worry about it.”  She walked towards him, holding her arms out.  “I think she just misses her mom, don’t you,” she finished turning her attention to the girl in her arms.  He smiled and leaned against the wall watching the two interact to each other. He always liked watching his two girls together. The way his daughter’s cries stopped and she just stared at her mother with the same awe he occasionally did.

The few moments when his wife would actually sing to their daughter were ones he cherished most.  She didn’t like to sing in front of others, not thinking her voice to be that great, but both her husband and daughter enjoyed hearing her sing.  Personally he thought she sang fine, but he supposed he was quite biased in that opinion.

He looked over at the clock and noticed the time.

“We should probably put her back to bed.  We have a briefing in the morning and you need more sleep.”

His wife nodded, her attention not leaving the snuggling little girl.  He could tell the baby was about to drift off, now confident that both her parents were near.

 

* * *

**“You were dead but I found you. It had to be a dream. A dream in the darkness.”**

_Clem ‘The Deep’ (4/27)_

If she closed her eyes real tight she could still feel him there, feel his fingers in her hair, feel the bed dip under his weight.  She could still sense the heat of his body.

Unfortunately she couldn’t keep her eyes closed forever.  When she opened them he’d be gone, the bed on his side would still be made for the most part, and a black dress would still hang on the door of her closet.

She felt numb most of the time.  When she closed her eyes and imagined him there it felt right, like he was supposed to still be there.  When her eyes were open, it felt like an alternate reality, even though she knew it was the real one. He was gone, and there was no amount of denying it that would change that fact.

She could hear people talking softly through the walls.  Her family had gathered around her to help her mourn. So far they left her mostly alone, giving her the space she asked for.  It was hard to explain to them how their output of sympathy and love was both welcome and suffocating at the same time.  No amount of people filling her home would fill the space that seemed always there, and sometimes she just couldn’t deal with their looks.

Her best friend knocked on the door, coming in after a second despite not hearing a response.  She sat on the bed and placed her hand on the leg closest to her, rubbing in a familiar comforting motion.

“Its time to get ready, Hon.”  There was sorrow in her voice.  She knew more then most what this lost meant. “The kids are already ready.”

“How do I explain this to them?”

“I don’t think there is a good way to do it. I don’t think they are unaware that something has happened to Daddy,”  she looked over at the dress.  “Your daughter seems to understand.  She helped get her brother ready and has been caring for him.  I’m not sure he understands as well.”

She lifted her head to look at the dress her friend was looking at.  “I don’t want to go...I don’t want to accept that this is goodbye.”

“You need to go,” her friend said with a sigh, turning to look at her.  “For the kids at least.  And you know what I believe and I know what you believe so you know this isn’t truly goodbye.”

“Well its certainly more than a ‘see you soon’,” she said angrily, getting off the bed and ripping the dress from the hanger.  “He is dead not on some business trip to another city.”

“I know,” her friend replied softly, standing to come up behind her and wrap her arms around her as she started to allow herself to cry.  “I know.”

 

 


	10. Pretty Little Liars (April '14)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> INCLUDES REFERENCE TO CHARACTER DEATH. Hanna mourns the loss of Caleb in drabble 1, and in Drabble 2 we have Caleb babysitting (so a little fluff after the angst).

**“And I mean this whole thing with yearbook, it’s like everybody is in this big hurry to make this book to supposedly remember what happened. But it’s not what really happened but what everybody thought was supposed to happen because if you made a book about what really happened it would be a really upsetting book.”**

_Angela Chase ‘My So Called Life_ ’ (4/17)

 

Hanna looked through the book, smiling wistfully at the pictures that were within.  The yearbook showed so many happy people, but failed to really show what had happened that year.  But then again, she supposed, no one wanted to remember what had happened, at least not have a constant reminder.

She knew she didn’t need one.  She still had the scars to look at in the mirror if she wanted to remember.

“They finally mailed them?”

“Yep.  All the glory of Senior year put into a hundred some pages of photographs that tell absolutely nothing at all.”

Ashley sighed, and moved to sit next to her daughter, looking at the page her daughter had stopped at.  A picture of the five of them and their dates at one dance or another.  Ali looking like a queen she wanted to be, the other four wearing faces that feigned happiness but didn’t quite cover the apprehension they all shared.

Of course a few in the picture weren’t there anymore.  

“You miss him.”  It wasn’t a question.  Ashley knew her daughter missed Caleb, and this time it wasn’t that he had moved away to another town or was visiting his mom in California. Ali’s last game with A had casualties, and Caleb had been one of them, along with Wesley Fitz.

“Yeah.”  Hanna replied, leaning her head on her mother’s shoulder. Her hand went to play with the pendant around her neck, an enameled set of marshmallows.

 

* * *

 

**“And raising a child is the greatest honour a person can have so… take care of him.”**

_Andy ‘About A Boy’ (4/23)_

 

Caleb decided that babysitting had about the same level of panic attached to it as nearly all of the A adventures he had been on (minus some of the more violent ones.).  Different kind of panic of course.  He would not in anyway compare Aleria to Alison’s A in any manner.

Though he made a mental note that should he and Hanna ever have children, all A names were definitely out. He didn’t have Toby or Spencer’s desire to take back the letter.  He’d rather be done with it.

With the whole A mystery bundled up and solved a year ago - finally and not just hiatus before another year of hijinks and terror, it was almost nice to be doing normal things.  Like taking your girlfriend out for lunch after her bio final, or babysitting the daughter of one of your best friends.

Aleria Cavanaugh was hyper.  More like her mother, Caleb thought, though slightly more endearing.  Spencer could be scary when she had her mind set to something.  Aleria was two years old now, looking more like her father, though her curls were more like Spencer’s.  So a mix of the two of them, really.  

The funny thing was she adored him.  He never saw himself as being the kid-type, but Aleria had a way of changing your mind.  He didn’t mind a night out with his goddaughter, watching Pretty Princess videos (though Hanna teased him about the abundance of pink enough).  Thankfully Aleria hadn’t entered her dress up stage, instead choosing to wear her tutu everywhere.  He suspected that when she hit the dress up and have fake tea parties age he’d probably be sitting at that table sipping air while having a conversation with the giant panda bear Hanna had gotten her when she was born.

The panda was bigger then two year old Aleria, so you could imagine Spencer’s reluctance to put it near baby Aleria.

But for now, Aleria was happy to just sit with him in the living room, disney on her screen while he sat behind the coffee table and worked on his latest project.

(Hanna liked to sneak up and take pictures of the two of them when he wasn’t looking.  She had a whole collection on her phone.)

He knew he wasn’t ready for full time parenthood but it made him think from time to time what if.  Imagine a little girl with Hanna’s eyes and his smile.  Actually, the little girl in his head looked almost exactly like Baby Hanna.  He didn’t tell her any of this, knowing she was even more uncomfortable with the idea then he was.

But it didn’t feel wrong to just think about it.  Although it was best not to do so when with Aleria, as she tended to try and climb the TV set, give you a three second warning to grab her before the whole thing came tumbling down.

And then its back at the start.  Panic with a side of smiles.

 


	11. May 2014  Prompts - LUX, Smallville and ER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May 2014 Prompts
> 
> 1\. LUX: Cate wonders about her spot in Baze and Lux's life.  
> 2\. Smallville: Oliver thinks about Chloe  
> 3\. ER: Luka and Abby mourn Greg Pratt   
> 4\. LUX: Baze thinks about his father

**“I wasn’t a good friend to you today, but one thing I know for sure - you are not in the way.”**

_Will ‘About A Boy’_

(5/6)

 

Things were so screwed up for Cate she wasn't sure what way was up sometimes.  Her husband had an affair with his ex, had a baby.  She was never going to have that chance again.  She supposed she could adopt, keep other kids from having the life that Lux had, but she wasn't sure she was ready for that.  Especially still mourning her chance to have another biological child.  And then there was the whole thing with her own ex.  Baze had been extremely accommodating, allowing her to crash on his couch, no questions asked.

Which is where she found herself now.  She felt like she was in the way.  Baze hadn't brought anyone back since she had arrived, and with Lux living there since they were all uncomfortable with living with Ryan at the moment, it certainly wasn't the lure it had once been.

He didn't ask about Ryan, or why she was suddenly on his couch.  DIdn't ask why she cried when she saw the commercials about baby shampoo.  Didn't ask anything really.

And she had to ask herself why.   And why had she gone to Baze of all people?

* * *

 

 

**“When I was away thinking of you gave me some other place to be. Someplace peaceful, where I could belong.”**

_Gallant ‘ER’_

(5/14)

 

THere were times, just before he opened his eyes he could pretend she was there.  That she hadn’t faked her death, that she hadn’t exchanged herself for him.

How, how,  could she think he’d be okay with that.

But for now he simply kept his eyes closed, pretended she was in bed with him, curled on her side, probably a phone dangling from her hand, or her laptop perched precariously on her lap.

He couldn’t keep the pretense for long.  The bed was too cold, too quiet to allow it.  But for a few moments he pretended.

Chloe had been a surprise to him. Always had been, but even more so in the last year.  And while he had been attracted to her, he hadn’t thought about acting on it till that moment when he was looking straight into her excited eyes right after she had managed to hit the target with that arrow.  He wasn’t sure if it was proximity or maybe his conscious self finally catching up to something his subconscious already knew, but he had been lost in her from that moment on.

And having her ripped away from him only when he was finally figuring out all that, that he was realising that he loved her, that he felt for her more then he had felt for Tess or Lois, both whom he had thought himself in love with.

She was his best friend, his partner-in-crime-fighting. She knew all his flaws, and he hers yet they fit together better then at times they were comfortable with.

Eventually when he was done with his moment of anger at her giving herself up as an exchange, he realised he would have done the same for her.  Had done the same for her, thinking back to how he gave up his anonymity.

He just wish she’d come home.  Because as the months passed without her, he realised that for the brief period of time he had been with her, a mere five months, he had found home again.  Where he belonged.  It wasn’t Star City, it wasn’t Metropolis.  It was with her, doing their best to bring together a better world.

And while even he had wondered at first if it was a nightingale situation, he soon realised that the feelings he had for her were rooted deeper and further in their past then he had known.  It hadn’t been love at first sight, but something that grew as they got to know each other, got to work together.  Maybe their moment was that day she became watchtower and the voice in his ear every night.

He didn’t know.  He just knew he missed her, and wished she was home.

 

* * *

 

**“You should be nice to me, I could be dead you know.”**

_Josh ‘The West Wing’_

(5/18)

Luka had already been packing for Boston when he turned on the news and found out about the explosion in front of County General Hospital.  He at first felt only concern that someone had been hurt during the explosion, as the information had been general.  It grew more intense as the night went on as they started to report fatalities and Abby didn’t call him.

When she finally walked through their apartment door that night, looking like the life was drained out of her he couldn’t be more relieved.  He had only stayed away knowing that more bodies was not going to help people very much.  But as he looked at her, he could tell she wasn’t unharmed as he had initially thought.

“Luka,” she said softly as she walked towards him, holding her arms out as she got close to wrap him in a hug which he returned tightly. “Greg...he’s gone.” He didn’t know what to say to that, so he just continued to hold her, thankful that somehow his wife had been spared while grieving for the loss of a good friend, the man had been his best man.

He didn’t even notice when the tears came, or how long they stayed there, holding each other.

 

* * *

 

**“I don’t wanna try to be you anymore. I wanna be me.”**

_Nate Bazile ‘Life UneXpected’_

(5/31)  
  


Baze had never had that great a relationship with his father, but he had to admit this probably took the cake on messed up relationships in this family.  He tossed a beer bottle into the recycling bin on the other side of the bar, cleaning up after the party.  The crunch of broken glass didn’t phase him, his mind still stuck on the latest chapter of his life.

He had known that his girlfriend had known his father.  That they had known each other well.  He had just never expected it to be so well.  He didn't know whether to cry or throw up, so the anger was winning by default since the vote was torn between the two forerunners.

And he was still not sure if he hated his father more for cheating with his girlfriend or for cheating on his mother. It was a double slam on his senses.  As if this year hadn’t been challenging enough.

He tossed another bottle, making it nicely into the middle of the pile. He knew he would regret this in the morning, but at the current moment he couldn’t care less that it had splashed broken pieces of glass all around it.

If only he could do that with this feeling.

 

 

 

 

 


	12. May 2014 Prompt - Smallville (EXT)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May 2014 Prompt. 
> 
> Originally this prompt went over, and I cut it down to size for the actual challenge, but since that doesn't guide my posting here, I'm posting the full 700+ word one-shot.
> 
> Oliver tries to remember when he first fell for Chloe.

**“I know what you told me though. You said you always wanted me, since… You said since the first time you saw me. And I was so happy to hear that.”**

_Frances ‘The Deep’_

(5/23)

Oliver had heard stories about his wife’s reaction when they first met.  Clark bringing it up during their renewal reception had not been the first time he had heard that her first reaction was a ‘wow’.  

He had been impressed by Chloe long before he met her.  Had heard Lois’ stories and read her articles, finding her talent impressive.  It hadn’t been hard to believe at all that Chloe had been doing a article on Dark Thursday.  Of course he soon learned she had the information for another reason.  But he had been impressed by her looks too that night, though his reaction hadn’t been a wow.  It had been more of a _The Lanes Grow them right_ , type of thoughts that would probably get him hit in the head by Lois and/or his wife.  Whoever was closest.

He continued to be impressed with her, continued to enjoy her company over the following years.  Loving her as a friend had come so easily, it was no wonder as he thought back on it that he had fallen in love with her as well.

When they had decided to renew their wedding vows, this time not hampered by Zatana’s special champagne and in front of their family with planning and forethought, he tried to remember when it had been that the switch had been thrown.  When had his spunky sidekick who was a wiz with the computer and made his life easier become one of the parts that drove him.  He could live without her, had in fact, but he knew enough from that experience that he preferred not to, preferred her by his side, fighting crime together or just enjoying the Star City Sunlight while glancing over paperwork with their respective day jobs.

He honestly couldn’t figure out what point it had been.  Thinking back, he knew he hadn’t thought about her that way while dating Lois, but there had been that period after he and Lois had broken up, when he was trying to start something up with Tess again (and failing, which turned out to be a great thing) and she had been struggling with her relationship with Jimmy when he had started to feel attracted to her in ways that made him feel guilty.  He probably wouldn’t admit it out loud but a small part of that had played into his guilt after Doomsday.  Mostly because it added another reason why he had been a horrible human being during those last couple of weeks.

He thinks the fact that she kicked his ass from here to Sunday with that little game of hers, jump starting his hero’s heart again might have been the kicker for him realising he felt something stronger for her.  After all, he wasn’t sure he’d have felt quite so thankful had Clark been the one doing it.  It made him realise what incredible people he had in his man-made family, but particularly in Chloe.  Despite his letting her down, she still stood up for him, helped him stand when he had fallen.

And he had realised he wanted to do the same for her.  So he had started spending more time at the Watchtower, trying to be a better friend, trying to get her out of her virtual cage.  Even he wasn’t sure why he had gone after Lois again, except that he was trying to start anew and Lois had loved him once.  It was easier to deal with then the possibility of starting something new with Chloe.

But the signs were there, and he kept getting pushed from various sources.  He would never admit it, but he owed Carter a great deal, because he made Oliver think about what he really wanted from his relationship with Chloe.  Made him able to take the opportunity that Chloe spinning around in joy of a job well done had given him.

Sitting here, looking at his wife, who was dancing with his son Connor while he sat at their table, feeding a bottle to their youngest Carter, and he realised that it didn’t matter what her first thought was, or what his was.  The journey that brought them here mattered, and what they thought now mattered.  Chloe glanced up for a second, her eyes sparkling with joy and he smiled back and wondered how he managed to get so lucky lately.

 


	13. June 2014 Prompts - ER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1) Carter thinks about his cousin  
> 2) Abby makes a decision

**“He swore to me he was gonna get help.”**

_Pratt ‘ER’ (6/08)_

 

Carter made sure to visit his cousin every time he came back to the US. He couldn't help but still feel a little guilt for how his cousin now was, but most of it had been taken away when he himself had fallen victim to addiction. Sometimes no matter what your friends do, its not going to help. Sometimes you need something more then them.

And he was reminded about how great his friends were each time he visited. HIs visits weren't to reassure him. This was his favorite Cousin after all, and he was probably the only person in their family who know a smidgen of what he was going through. And his cousin was also one of the few people who knew about his own addiction.

Chase had urged him to tell his parents, but so far he hadn't. As far as they were concerned, he had gone to a special 90 day conference in Atlanta that summer. His grandmother had known, and he thinks his mother might suspect. And of course his friends knew.

When he moved back to Chicago after his kidney transplant, it was easy to just pretend that year had never happened. Except he knew it did, and Chase knew. He couldn't hide from it like he could when he was out of the country. Not that he really could there. The urge to find the medication, to just feel better was still there, lurking. It didn't happen every day, but he had bad days, just like anyone else.

And maybe he went to see Chase because in a sense they could help each other avoid that really bad day when it just got too much.

 

* * *

 

 

**“This is a decision I will make alone. But I will take your position into consideration.”**

_Elizabeth Thatcher ‘When Calls The Heart’_ _(6/21)_

 

Abby sat on the bench, taking deep breaths of the cold January air. She felt oddly calm about her decision. It surprised her in the end when she decided to keep the baby. She knew some would say Luka convinced her, but she didn't think so. At least not in the conventional way.

Things were different now, different from the last time she had been in this situation.

For one thing, Luka was not Richard. And she was older, so there were both new cons and pros added to the list. She was more financially secure, she had a good job, although lousy hours for a new mom. She was more at peace with herself then she had been for awhile. And the father was a man she could actually want to have children with.

On the other hand she still had a few years of her residency to complete, she wasn't sure she wanted to pass along the genes that so ravaged her family, and technically her and Luka were still struggling to figure out their relationship.

Although she supposed they had been somewhat stable the last few weeks. Less guesswork, more understanding. Still no labels, but did they really need them?

So in the end the decision had been to keep the baby. She was going to be a mother, and part of her was terrified. And surprisingly, part of her was excited.

But the first step before anything else was to tell Luka.

* * *

 

 

 

 


	14. The One with the June 2014 Drabbles (Friends)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1) Chandler's thoughts after Heckles dies.  
> 2) Joey's thoughts as Chandler moves out  
> 3) A conversation between Monica & Chandler early in their relationship.

**“You know what sucks about not having anyone you care about? You don’t have anyone you care about.”**

_Andy ‘About A Boy (6/10)_

 

He wasn't sure why he decided to stay there, sitting on the couch in his Pj's and robe. The others had long since returned home, probably to sleep. Monica stand in the middle of her apartment and praise her own organization. It had taken most of the day just to get to the back rooms. The Man was a borderline hoarder.

But that wasn't why Chandler stayed. That much he knew. He just couldn't get the fact that Heckles had been so much like him when he was younger. Couldn't help but see that future in front of him. Would it be him thirty years from now, walking up to the apartment above and complaining about the noise. Writing down noise infractions that normal people wouldn't be bothered with.

Being alone and having to give all his stuff to people he couldn't even list by name?

It was as sad future. He didn't want that. He wasn't ready for the commitment, the settling down, but he still had hope that one day he would be. That was until today when an example of what path he could take would end up like.

Did Heckles have friends like his when he was younger? He apparently had been somewhat appreciated in high school. Had dated, until he became a city hermit. For the moment Chandler was assured that his five friends wouldn't let him be alone like that, but eventually they would all go and get married, have families, and like Joey said, they couldn't plan their lives around Chandler.

He really didn't want to be a Heckles.

 

* * *

**“Yeah well, I owe it to you.”**

_Lux Cassidy ‘Life UneXpected’ (6/23)_

 

Joey didn't like living alone.  It wasn't about having someone there to pay the bills.  He had been honest in that.  Sure, he was still living life a little tight, but he could manage.  The fact that Chandler still wanted to help out was both slightly embarrassing (because Joey felt he could take of himself thank you very much - no need for Chandler to act like he was his father and Joey was leaving home for the first time). and comforting at the same time (because it meant that Chandler cared).

What he really didn't like was the silence.  He didn't hear Chandler moving around in his room.  He didn't hear the Tv come on late at night when Chandler's insomnia kicked in.  He didn't like the missing pieces either.  The Laptop in the corner,  the various pieces of paper with story ideas Chandler would never actually write.  The books that Joey wouldn't want to read in a million years that filled the shelf between Little Women, The Shining and Joey's recent copy of Little Men (There was a sequel who knew).

He missed the presence of his friend, his brother.  For the last five years Chandler had been so present, and even though he had only moved across the hall, and it wasn't like Joey didn't spend a lot of time over there anyways he still missed his friend.

And that was the hardest to get used to.

 

* * *

 

 

**“I don’t know when they taught you that, but I’m glad you didn’t cut class that day.”**

_Sally Arthur ‘Earth Star Voyager’  (6/30)_

 

"Alright, I'm going to regret saying this but whatever woman taught you how to do that deserves a fruit basket or something." She felt him chuckle against her shoulder. "I'm afraid to ask."

"Afraid it will be one of the ones you didn't like?"

"Is there one that I did like?"

"You liked Kathy."

"I tolerated Kathy. Up until she broke your heart. Was it her?"

"No. Honestly," and he he sounded a bit sheepish about admitting this, not meeting her eyes and instead staring at the pillow behind her head. "I kind of read about it."

"You read about it?"

"Yes. I do, on occasion, actually read." She bit back the retort about graphics, deciding to avoid them getting into a banter war. She leaned over and kissed him softly.

"I appreciate it."

 

 


	15. June 2014 Drabble - MASH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawkeye and BJ converse as Rader packages the latest piece to his jeep.

**“The award for slowest chair theft of the week goes too…”**

_Russell Howard ‘Good News’ (6/28)_

"I wonder if they've noticed yet,"  BJ stated as he and Hawkeye watched as Radar packaged yet another piece of the jeep he was sending home to assemble when he got back.

"Do you think they'd be allowing him to do it if they did."  Hawkeye responded.  "I mean, I would overlook it, but there are reasons I'm not in charge of delivery."

"Mostly because you'd drop everything into a pile at the swamp and no one would ever get it."

"I can't deny that.  But it would be amusing to see how long it took before Charles started to go bonkers about it."

"In that case, maybe you should volunteer for the duty."

"Nah.  I made a vow to never do more work then I absolutely have to while I'm over here."

"Well, I can't make you break a vow."


	16. July 2014 Prompts - Veronica Mars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Mac thinks about her relationship with Dick  
> 2\. Cassidy's last thoughts

**“We know if something goes wrong there no-one’s coming to get us. Something breaks we fix it. Apollo astronauts didn’t have standby spaceships if they got stuck on the moon, did they?”**

_ Frances ‘TheDeep’ _

_ (7/13) _

 

She wasn’t sure why they did it.  It's been 10 years, and even after all that time they find themselves on the moonlit beach, sitting next to each other with a six pack of beer.  It actually ranges from year to year what alcohol they drink.  The first time it had been harder stuff, but as time started to cover up the scars if not actually heal, they had backed down to lighter stuff.  

They would go to the beach, get drunk, spend a few hours talking about Cassidy and things they actually loved about him, and then they would retreat back to one or the other’s house, occasionally somewhere else and then talk about why they were still angry.  And then pull there one-over on him, cursing him as they melted together.

No one knew about it but them.  She felt that Logan might have a hunch, but Veronica had been out of town for years, and Wallace knew better than to contact her on her dark day.  Thus it was still a secret.  

Except it's been growing outside its bounds  for the past few years. Still no one knows about it, knows that the two of them try to heal each other at night using the oldest method known to man despite knowing it wasn't going to do the job.  It just confused things.

Like she was confused now.  Why did they still meet up from time to time with the excuse not to feel?  Because she has a notion that she’s been feeling alot when they do, and it has nothing, for once, to do with Cassidy.

At least for her.

 

* * *

 

 

**“Stop hitting them! Kicking them will hurt more.”**

Jake ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’

(7/31)

 

Cassidy knew how to pinpoint the best way to hurt someone.  He always did. He knew that his father’s business was a house of cards and blowing it all down would bring him down to the ground.  He knew bringing up Sally, his brother’s first pet would remind his brother who really had the upper hand.  

He knew leaving Mac alone in that room would hurt her, and to be honest that was probably the only time he regretted hurting someone.

Veronica was easy.  Use her own weapons against her.  Logan was a little harder, a little more hardened to sharp jabs. 

He supposed it was actually Dick he was going to hurt most in the end.  Dick was the one who would have to live with the fact that he could have done something.  Cassidy had planned the whole thing without the older brother having a single clue.

The idea was the only thing that kept him smirking as he fell down.

 


	17. July 2014 Prompts - ER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. After that Valentine's day, everyone struggles.  
> 2\. Luka considers his relationship with Abby.

**“You two carried me through that war, and now I need you to carry me just a little bit further. If you can.”**

_ Tracey ‘Firefly’  _

_ (7/16) _

 

No one came out of that night unscathed.  The whole department walked around the hospital, and in their homes, in a daze, unsure on how to deal with what had happened.  There were all kinds of things you were prepared for.  They had disaster plans, and plans on what to do if someone had a gun.  But no one ever came up with how to deal with the fact that a patient stole the cake knife and stabbed our friends.  

They were divided between mourning Lucy, who they had all grown to like, despite her more annoying beginnings, and being worried about John..  She had been such a bright light, and she had finally seemed to settle in now that she had decided psychology was her niche.  ANd it was all cut short because no one saw the symptoms.

  
No one wanted to tell John that she was gone, but eventually Benton had seen to it that he had been informed.  And watching him mourn her seemed like another hit.  And watching as he continued to spiral down afterwards was hard to watch.  They kept rationalizing, and denying until it was too obvious that he hadn’t recovered.  They all still carried the scar from that night, but he was still allowing it to bleed.

 

* * *

 

 

**“You and I, we’re a team.”**

Ryan Thomas ‘Life UneXpected’

He had to admit there was a part of him confused.  Being with Abby again felt right, but she was also right.  Their first time together had been less then great.  Disastrous even.  He hadn't been ready to move on from the pain of his past, had a lot of self-inflicted anger to take care of.  And she hadn't quite found herself either.

And yet here they were, years later.  Carter was out of the picture besides a few postcards and letters a month.  Luka was proud to call the man his friend, despite their awkward beginnings.  He missed him around the hospital.  Not that he would be able to tell him about this.  A close friend he might be, but its probably not a good idea to discuss what it meant that you had fallen into bed with your friend's ex-almost fiancee.

He thinks Carter would be happy they had found each other again.  But had they?  Perhaps it was better off as a one time thing.  Its so soon after things with Sam collapsed, after her own relationship had ended.  Where they even in a position to even think about a relationship?

All he knew is for a few hours he had forgotten the world outside existed.  No Clemente, no Chief of Emergency. No dead patients who should have been alive.  And it hadn't just been because the sex was good.  There was something there, something he had never really let go of, even when he was happily with someone else.

He thinks he might still love her, but that would mean admitting that he loved her and still treated her the way he had before.  He wasn't sure he wanted to do that either.

All he really knew is that this time they would figure it out together.


	18. July 2014 Prompts - Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Phoebe notices something (early seasons)  
> 2\. Richard's thoughts as Chandler leaves the apartment (s7)

**I know a total of three things about you and one of them is that you won’t let any of us crash at your place.”**

_ Jake ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ _

(7/10)

 

“You know what I have realized?” Phoebe mused one afternoon as the six of them sat watching TV in Spanish.  “We always hang out at Monica and Rachel’s.  We never spend any time at anyone else’s apartment.”

“That’s not true,” Ross stated, clearly ready to argue in the true Geller way.  “We spend plenty of time at my apartment.”

“We spent two nights there playing poker and watching Joey’s porno.”  She responded.  “And I think the only time we as a group were at my apartment it was to help move in the new table.  So that doesn’t count as hanging out.”

“Its the biggest apartment.”  Chandler mumbled from his part of couch.  Phoebe thought he looked quite comfortable.  Snuggled into the corner, his head leaning back looking half asleep.  Monica was cuddled into his side, actually asleep.  “Of course we would hang out here.”

“I know.  I was just saying I just realized that we do that.”

 

 

* * *

 

**“Tell her? No. No, no, no, no. Now’s the time everyone just looks at her funny ‘til she figures it out.”** Kate ‘The West Wing’

(7/12)

 

Richard felt like an idiot, watching as Chandler exited his apartment for the second time.  He wasn’t sure why it had taken him three years to figure out that he could give Monica what she wanted.  However, he was starting to figure out why exactly he decided to tell her now.

He had known things were serious between her and Chandler.  Had heard from Jack that they were living together.  He couldn’t stop thinking he had lost her, and he had to get her back before he lost her for good.  He should have known that had already past.

He should know known it as soon as she hesitated when he told her.  He should have known that when she had walked into his apartment and left, still not giving him a clear answer.  It took Chandler showing up and telling him that he wasn’t going to give her up, that he was going to fight for her if that was what was necessary to realize that he had never really believed that Chandler of all people was Monica’s one.

Except Chandler offered her everything she wanted.  Marriage, love, Children.  And it hadn’t taken him three years to figure it out.  Hell, Monica had told him before that Chandler had offered to be her backup Daddy if nothing suitable came around.  So he offered before there was the rest of it.

Now Richard was just stuck trying to figure out why he hadn’t realized all this in the first place.

 


	19. July 2014 - Game of Thrones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned considers Petyr

**"Jealousy's about the fear of losing someone we love. There's no pain greater than that."**

_Chakotay ‘Voyager’_

(7/11)

He didn’t like this feeling, didn’t like that he was feeling this way.  Catelyn would never leave him, or betray him.  He had no worries.  But all the same he really wished he could stab Petyr Baelish and be done with him.  THe man was in love with his wife.  He could almost understand.  He hadn’t loved Cat when they married, but he loved her deeply now. 

But Petyr, unlike him, didn’t seem to have a respect for their relationship.  He still looked at Cat like she would decide to run off with him.  That she would leave her children, her husband, behind and be his wife.  The way he always wanted.

When Petyr did the final betrayal and led Ned to prison he felt almost like laughing.  He should have known Petyr wouldn’t side with him.  He had Cat, and this would remove Ned from the equation.  But he also knew that Cat would never forgive him for betraying Ned.

His wife, he knew, did not take betrayal quietly.  She had never let him forget.


	20. Criminal Minds - December 2014

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lone Criminal Minds Drabble.

**“Good news for all you murder fans.”**

_ Jake ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’   
_ _ (12/ 22) _

 

"Well, this is new."

"Ten years on this job and it still sometimes surprises us. Thats a good sign right?"

"One would hope. I would hate to think that I was used to this." He shook his head, before taking a sip of his coffee. "So this is all based on a musical."

"An operetta, to be precise," Spencer spoke up from the other side of the room where he was going through some papers. "It was called Naughty Marietta - There's a 1939 film if you prefer. It's about a Princess who disguises herself as her lady's-maid to run away from a marriage she doesn't want, and ends up pretending to be a prostitute to avoid another marriage."

"So what, this guy thinks he's finding princesses?"

"And when he doesn't, he kills them."

"Apparently so. Although there is no particular clue right now as to what causes him to identify one of the sex workers as a Princess."

"He believes himself the frog" Dave murmured from his chair. "They are all princesses in disguise, finally paying attention to him.”

  
  
  



	21. August 2014 Prompts - GOT, Friends, Star Wars, Pick a Fandom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Tyrion and Jaime discuss Brienne (GOT)  
> \- Chandler thinks over his new relationship with Monica (Friends)  
> \- Han's POV just prior to the Carbonite (Star Wars)  
> \- There are some boundries she wasn't ready to cross (Pick a Fandom)

**“You and her were as demented as each other.”**

_ Samson ‘The Deep’  (8/2) _

 

“You two were made for each other,” Tyrion said with a smirk at his brother.  “I must admit I’m surprised.  I half expected to find Cersei Redux when I came home.”

“Not funny,” Jaime said with a look at his brother.  “Brienne has enough insecurities about Cersei without you adding to them.”

“What does she have to fear?  You are crazy about her, and unlike the rest of our illustrious family you are a one-woman man.”

“She thinks Cersei is prettier than her and that at any moment I’ll realise how homely she is and run back to my sister.”

“Well, about half of that is true, but I suspect there would be no running.  Cersei might try and pull you back, but I’ve seen how you look at Brienne.”  He tilted his head.  “Do you have doubts?”

“Sometimes. Its not that I want Cersei back...its just sometimes I think it's what I deserve.”

“What, to be stuck with a woman who wouldn’t marry you because she prefers power over interpersonal relationships?”

“Cersei is my mirror in a way.  I’ve come to realise we aren’t the same as Cersei believes, we are quite different, but we are both guilty of so much.”

“And Brienne deserves more?”  He didn’t need to hear his brother’s response.  “Jaime, did you ever think that maybe Brienne deserves to be loved by someone who can see her worth and not many men will.  You do.  Maybe you don’t deserve her, but maybe she deserves you.”

 

* * *

 

 

**She knows just what buttons to press and where the skeletons are hidden.”**

_ Principal Gedler ‘The Christmas Song (8/4) _

 

Chandler was surprised at how easy it was being with Monica. It had been a little awkward to start, changing up their friendship like that, but after the first couple of days it simply settled into this...great situation. He had trouble getting his mind around the fact that it didn't even seem like things had changed that much. They were still Monica and Chandler, just with sex as an extra activity. They still cuddled on the couch at Central Perk, still joked around with each other and teased Ross and their friends.

But he was happy and he really didn't want to look too closely at that. He didn't want to know why he felt so comfortable with a woman who knew everything about him before they even thought to kiss. Well, that wasn't true. He had thought about it many times. Hell, had even kissed her a few times, although mostly a friendly smooch. And there was that one time he was too drunk to tell the difference between her and one of Joey's sisters. He didn't want to think about the fact that out of all that daze he remembered kissing her.

Although she hadn't seemed too impressed. Much more impressed by his sober version.

Monica knew all about him. The parts that were good, the parts that were bad, the parts that most girls didn't last long enough to learn. After 10 years, there was very little she didn't know, and he was alright with that. He wasn't going to look at it closely, try to examine why it had never felt this comfortable before. He was just going to accept it. He wasn't ready for anything more.

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Let’s make the most of our time together shall we?”**

_Zapp ‘Futurama’_

(8/25)

Han would like to say he saw it coming.  That he knew from the start that he’d end up tied up in all kind of knots courtesy of a beautiful princess named Leia.  But he hadn’t.  Loving Leia had snuck up on him like a slow boil.  You know, that old saying about a Frog and hot water?  You put him in cold water and slowly bring up the heat so he adjusts to it and never knows what's really happening?  That was how falling in love with Leia Organa was.

It hadn’t really hit him that was what it was till he was being lowered into that pit in Cloud City and not losing eye contact with her till the process began.

_ I Love You. _

_ I know. _

What he hadn’t said was that while he had known that the princess had been in love with him, he hadn’t known that he had been likewise in love with her.  Leia was not subtle, not with her half sighed questions that were more assertions that he was going to leave her.  He knew that he had an urge to protect her. Would stand up to Vader a hundred times if it kept her from hurting.

But staring at her from that pit, seeing her love in her eyes, he knew that it was mutual.  But he couldn’t bring himself to say it, not yet.  He almost felt as if he said it, it would truly be the end of their story.

And for the first time in his life, in those few moments before he went into hibernation, he could see a future. He, Leia and Chewie exploring the galaxy on the Millennium Falcon, occasionally joyriding with Luke along, and on occasion stopping so Leia could do her government business, because he knew she wouldn’t step out of that.    
  
_ I love you too.  _  He thought, willing his thoughts to her. He knew the Jedi could pass messages through telepathy. Maybe it wasn’t limited to them.  He hoped she saw it in his eyes, if not hear it.

 

* * *

 

 

**“Please stop urinating on my hedge.”**

_Fiona ‘About A Boy’ (8/26)_

She knew that familiarity grew some lack in boundries, but she hadn’t expected that it would include the bathroom so soon. She had been minding her own business, coming around the corner ready to use the bathroom to do some last minute check up on her hair before going to present her ideas to the council.

And he had just turned his head as she entered, smiled and made a wave with the hand currently not aiming, and went back to his business.  She was gobsmacked for a moment before she walked to the mirror, tried to finish her hair without once looking back and walked out as soon as she could.

She suspected there were some boundaries she should reiterate they hadn’t needed to cross.

 


	22. August Prompts II - Veronica Mars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Cassidy.
> 
> (AKA the prompt that got accidently put in the wrong folder and thus I didn't update with the rest of the August group)

**“Everyone wants to talk about how he died too. But who cares? One moment in his whole life... I care more about how he lived and anyone who has a problem with that should remember that he was my brother.”**

Kurt Hummel ‘Glee’

(8/9)

 

He can tell the moment a person thinks about Cassidy.  It goes one of two ways.  Either they start pitying him for being the brother of a mass-murder, or they step back a little, trying to determine if psychotic behavior runs in families.  There are few people who don’t do that.

Logan, for one, although when he thinks about Cassidy it’s anger and sorrow and not at all directed towards Dick.  Veronica cuts off the thoughts before they begin.  He’s pretty sure if she didn’t, he’d be in worse shape than right now and she hates him right now.  Mac turns inward.  She doesn’t like thinking about Cassidy, doesn’t want to remember.  He doesn’t blame her.

But he can’t stop wondering.  He is always wondering if he missed all the signs, if he was in denial or just too scared to connect the dots.  Could he have saved people? Could Cassidy been helped before all this happened?  Why hadn’t his brother trusted him.  Of course that last question brought on more drinking because of course his brother didn’t trust him - he wasn’t exactly Cassidy’s best friend.

No, that was Mac, and he didn’t tell her either.  Out of shame, or what he didn’t know, but his brother held back on a big secret and killed a bunch of people to keep it secret.  Couldn’t live with it told.

 

  
  



	23. September 2014 Prompts - Pick A Fandom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Sometimes you actually have to talk about things (PAF)  
> 2\. It started out as a bet (PAF)  
> 3 Distance relationships aren't easy (PAF)

**“If it’s right, and they’re real lucky, one of them will say something.”**

Perry Cox ‘Scrubs’

(9/11)

 

“I think we officially are past the whole “but we are just friends” bit,” she joked as they lay in the aftermath.  Once could be called a lapse in judgement.  Twice, you could pass off as an occasional mood enhancer.  But after two and half weeks of regularly jumping one another after work seemed to be a bit much to hold onto the lie.

“Hmm” he said, and despite his head being tucked into her neck, she could still tell he was smiling.  “I could have told you that a week ago.”

“You could have, could you.”

“Hmm,” he replied again, this time his silent laughter could be felt where his chest was aligned with her arm.   She allowed him to shift her so her back was facing his chest and they could lie together more comfortably.

“So what are we then?”

“Do we have to decide now?”  He asked.  “How about Happy?”

“Happy works,” she said with a smile, turning slightly back to him.  “I like Happy.”

“I like Happy too.”

 

* * *

 

 

**“Can you please let me take you to dinner and show you that I’m really just a nice guy who has fallen on some hard times.”**

JD ‘Scrubs’

(9/19)

It had started out as a bet.  She had joked that he didn’t know how to show a girl a good time,  which he had taken as the good natured taunt it was.  But then he had upped the ante by basically saying she should go on a date with him and see.

Now, she was up for a challenge, and figured she didn’t have any plans anyway so why not.  Let him try and prove to her that he could show a girl a good night out.  So she had taken that bet and allowed him to met at her place at 7pm that friday after work.

She had actually dressed up for the occasion, and was pleased enough by his stunned look when she came to the door.  He looked nice as well, although she admitted only to herself that it would probably be hard for him to not look good.  Even if she was willing to admit it, she wouldn’t tell him.  It wasn’t like he was unaware that he had charm and god-given good looks.

And sometime during the course of the night she forgot that this was just a bet.  That he was just a friend taking a friend out to show her he could plan a good date.  It had been fun, and she had actually enjoyed every minute of it.

Only when the night started to come to a close that she remembered it wasn’t an ordinary date.  She wasn’t the girl he was trying to impress into seeing him again.  They were just friends having a good time.  Except she learned that there was a part of her that wouldn’t have minded so much if it had been all those things.  If when they had stopped outside her doorway, he had leaned in for a kiss.  She had wanted him to, and for a second she had thought he was actually going to do it, but in the end they simply said their goodbyes.

And she was left wondering what to do with this new information.  

 

* * *

 

**“Oh look, you're all red and blotchy... and horny”**

_ Angela ‘Bones’ _

(9/27)

There was certain...difficulties that came with being pregnant when you and your spouse worked at vastly different locations.    Luckily her job kept her relatively in the same place, but his job, especially of late, kept him hopping from place to place.  When he was home it seemed like it was never enough time.  HE had commented that he saw her so rarely lately that he was always surprised by how much she had grown.

Beyond the emotional struggle it was being so far apart from her husband, there was also the less..romantic aspects to consider.  Like when she hit the second trimester and wanted her husband more than usual.  SHe had read all the books, and had expected it, but didn’t realise how annoying it would be not to able to have him nearby.

He was always amused by it, when he’d come home for a few days and she’d jump him nearly before he closed the door.  She didn’t always, thought enough times it had happened to not be a false statement.  And she was sure, had she not been a bit annoyed by the whole issue, she would have found it as funny as he did.

“I just miss you,” she admitted to him one night, when they were wrapped around each other.  “I mean it's partially my hormones demanding I get in a lot of good sex before I’m too tired taking care of the baby to really have it.  But It's also because I miss you so damn much.”

“Well, what would you say if I told you I’m not going anywhere.”

“Don’t you have another business trip?”

“No.”  He smiled at her.  “It's all done, I finished a little early and even got a whole week off.  Just you and me.  Feel free to take advantage of me whenever you want.”

“Oh, shut up.”  But she couldn’t help the smile, or the warm feeling of happiness from starting.

 


	24. September '14 Prompts II:  Life Unexpected & Downton Abbey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Edith Crawley contemplates her regrets (Downton Abbey)  
> 2\. Cate & Baze spend a morning together (Life Unexpected)

**“It’s really not nice to tell tales on your brother.”**

_ Pete ‘Outnumbered’ _

_ (9/24) _

 

Edith sat silently at dinner, thoughts whirling through her head.  Everyone was somewhat subdued in the last day.  The fate of Bate’s trial, Mary ending her engagement.  Everyone knew now, but instead of relief she found herself feeling guilt.

She wondered if she had not sent that letter to the Turkish Ambassador, if she had kept that information to herself would things be different.  She was sure that the news would get out.  She didn’t trust O’Brien with secrets.  But it wouldn’t have her confirmation.  It would be just idle gossip rather than a real story.  Then perhaps Vera would not have had anything to say, and Richard would not have had anything to buy.

She and her sister had gotten along better these past few years.  The war had changed everyone and even she had realised the waste of time it was being jealous of Mary.  Especially after Mary was put through her paces again and again by the story that wouldn’t die.   
  
She wondered if she hadn’t confirmed the story, if she had just let it go, would Mary have been able to accept Matthew?  Would Downton Abbey be filled with the sounds of her nieces and nephews rather than the whispers about Mary’s sudden trip to America and Bate’s trial.

She regretted so much taking pen to paper that night.  Mary’s forgiveness had come in time, but Edith wondered if she’d ever be able to forgive herself.

 

* * *

 

 

**“Yeah, well. Last night was awesome. We had a night of bonding that I will never forget.”**

_Jake ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’_

(9/25)

Cate was the first one to wake. She woke up lazily, comfortable and warm in the bed.  There were no alarms to wake her up, just the light of the sun coming in through the windows.  She turned over, smiling as she snuggled in closer to him.

He didn’t wake, simple shifted to meet her, as if he knew what she needed even as he slept.  It made her want to giggle, but she managed to keep that impulse at bay.  She didn’t want to wake him up.  She wasn’t typically a gigglier so she figured it probably would.

This was the first time she had woken up beside him where panic wasn’t sitting in.  And it didn’t need to.  Third time's the charm as the saying went, and it seemed to go that way for them.  They were no longer teenagers with no idea what they were doing.  Nor were they adults who barely understood the word. Well, maybe they were still struggling with the adult thing, but at least she wasn’t dating anyone, and his roommates did not include a complete stranger and some guy who had crushed on her in high school.  Actually his only roommate at the moment was their daughter,, but she wasn’t home tonight, staying at Tasha’s.

She lightly touched Baz’s face with her fingertips, enjoying the ability to do so now. There was no guilt to stop her.

When she felt his arms drawing her closer she knew he was awake.

“This feels nice,” he said sleepily, breathing in smell of her hair.”

“Yeah, it does.”  she responded, wrapping her arms around him, and allowing him to do the same.  She figured this wouldn’t last too long. But they were both indulging in the moment.  They had so many setbacks over the years that knowing that they were finally here, and finally in a way that would continue on till tomorrow and the day after that was great.

“Do we need to get out of bed today?”

“No,” she smiled at his question.  

“Let's not leave then.”

“Great idea.”

 


	25. October 2014 Drabbles - Pretty Little Liars

**“We’re in this together? 100%? Because it feels more like 60/40 to me.”**

Abby ‘ER

(10/6)

“You can’t keep things from me, Hanna,”  Caleb said, rubbing his face as he turned away from her, focusing on cutting up the vegetables for the stir-fry they were making.  

“I know,”  she admitted, settling onto a barstool nearby.  “I just...I want to protect you from this madness and I haven’t quite learned how to turn the keep it secret switch off.”

“We protect each other,” he said in response, turning to look at her again.  “Which means I need to know things.  Even if you think it would hurt me to know.”  He took her hand.  “I love you, you know that.”

“Its nice to hear you say that again.”  She said, smiling softly.  “You haven’t said that since you got back. I mean, I got the impression your feelings hadn’t changed much, but its still nice to hear.”

“So no more secrets?”  He asked, bringing the subject back.  Her smile dropped slightly at the reminder of their topic, but she nodded.  “And I know I need to work on that too.”

“Well your secrets don't tend to have people get hurt,” she responded. “Or its one you are keeping for me.  Ali doesn’t want you to know anything.”

“I don’t care what Ali thinks.”  

“Yeah, you’ve made that clear.”  She smiled again, amused.  She reached over and grabbed a pepper.  “Even she knows it.”

 

* * *

 

 

**“I hear an empty sound.”**

Sion ‘Pobol y Cwm’

(10/10)

 

He wasn’t sure why he came back to Rosewood.  He could have gone to live with his mother in California, or found whatever out-in-nowhere town his father was living in now, but something drew him back to Rosewood.  He felt more lost than he had ever felt but somehow coming back seemed to be the right decision.

Up till he spotted her. She looked different, though no less beautiful.  It hurt to realise he still loved her.  He hadn’t stopped, but he had hoped that the skip he felt when he saw her would go away.  The urge to run to her, have her hug him to her and be home overwhelming.

Except it wasn’t home anymore. They had ended things, and he couldn’t just expect things to stand still for her.  They hadn’t for him.  And the biggest sign of it being the same with her was the surprise and almost weariness in her look upon seeing him.  That, and the two coffees.

Travis was a good guy. And even though he still loved Hanna, he wanted her to be happy and he figured Travis could make her happy.  Maybe this was why he came back.  To close the door on Rosewood, on his relationship with Hanna.  

As he walked to the playground with a beer in hand, he started making plans for Montecito.  Maybe family was the cure to what illed him, if his first love wasn’t it.

He should have known better.

 

* * *

 

 

For more drabbles, please see my new collection: [The Drabble Club II](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6187696) which starts a new lyric based drabble challenge.  


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